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Giaever, John Schelderup (1901-1970)

Giaever was born in 1901 in Trosmo, Norway.

He worked as a journalist and sealer, giving him experience of Northern Norway, Greenland and the White Sea. In 1935 he was appointed secretary to the Norges Svalbard-oglshavs-Undersokelser (later this became the Norsk Polar Institutt) he was responsible for organising the annual voyages to North East Greenland.

During World War Two his ship was intercepted by British forces and Giaever was interned in Britain. After the German invasion of Norway he was able to join the Royal Norwegian Air Force in Canada. Though this he was involved in the restoration of civil government in central Finmark.

In 1948 he became Officer Chief of the Polar Institutt and was appointed the leader of the Norwegian British Swedish Antarctic Expedition (NBSAE) in 1949-52.

Ill health dogged his retirement and he died is Oslo in 1970 aged 69.

Published Works:

Giaever, J. (1954) The White Desert. The official account of the Norwegian British Swedish Antarctic Expedition. London:Chatto and Windus.